Last year at the Philadelphia Greater Christian Writer’s Conference I stood in line talking to a lady about shopping. I don’t recall the conversation completely; however, I’m sure she complimented my sandals and I said these are my favorite: $7 at DSW.
“My sister is a sale shopper. I’m too impatient,” she said.
“I didn’t always enjoy shopping either,” I said. “I just made it work for me based on my lifestyle.”
“You should write a how to article about how to save money.” She handed me her card. “Let me know when you write it.”
Several months ago, while riding the Metro North downtown with my friend she complimented my sweater.
“$19.99 at Daffy’s marked down from $90,” I said.
“I rarely find bargains,” she said. “I don’t like to shop it takes too much time. I see it, I buy it.”
“My best friend is a bargain shopper, and after a decade of shopping with her and having teen girls, I’ve learned to have a bit more patience.”
Recently, a friend watched me cut open the lotion tube. “It’s not really empty, there’s more in the bottom,” I said.
He laughed. ” Wow you really are [frugal].”
“It works with toothpaste as well,” I said.
Amazingly, I have not always been frugal; I’ve lived a good part of my life in the wasteful lane buying overpriced clothes, tossing away good stuff. Now don’t get me wrong: there are times when I want something I will get it despite the cost; cause sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants.
So, to the lady at the writer’s conference, almost one year later, I share 7 tips that save time and money—please beware that often one has the money and not the time or the time and not the money. Patience is the key.
- What woman doesn’t love shoes? One day I spotted a pair of sandals at DSW for $99. Three weeks later those shoes were on sale rack for $19.99. Now, I check the sales rack first, and try not to spend more than $25 on a pair of shoes.
- I keep a list of out and about errands, so when I’m out I stop at stores on the northbound side, and then on the southbound side to avoid making U-turn’s and to save gas.
- When traveling, I fill up my gas tank the night before.
- I love books; but my budget limits the amount I purchase. Therefore, the library is my friend. I go online to my local library, order books, and wait for the librarian to call for pick up. And when I decide to buy a book, I’m the reader that needs to flip pages, I make sure it’s an author I don’t mind having in my house.
- Coupons are money-savers. However, avoid coupons when the manufacturer insists that the buyer spend $75 to get $25 off or $100 to get 30% off. The point is to spend as little money as possible. Instead use $10 or $20 coupons on an item that is about $1 or $2 more than the coupon, or of equal value. I’ve bought jewelry at Kohl’s for less than a $1 with 10 coupons.
- Anything I can complete in two minutes or less, I complete at that moment.
- I pick one day during the month, and slum. No going outside, no visitors. Pajamas all day. Sometimes it’s a holiday: Memorial Day, Labor Day, a snow day, or a Saturday with no meetings or plans.
angchronicles 